The present invention relates to an eyeglass lens processing apparatus for processing a periphery of an eyeglass lens.
An eyeglass lens processing apparatus for processing a periphery of an eyeglass lens comprises a circular abrasive wheel (grindstone) having a diamond layer formed of a fine diamond particle and metal powder and serves to carry out processing by causing the periphery of the lens to come in contact with the rotating abrasive wheel by pressure.
In such processing using the abrasive wheel, if a large number of lenses are processed, the diamond particle slips off or is worn away or clogged so that the processing performance of the abrasive wheel is deteriorated and a time required for processing the lens is increased. In such a case, generally, dressing is carried out through a dressing bar in order to arrange the diamond layer.
However, it is difficult for an operator to carry out the dressing in a proper timing. More specifically, there is a problem in that it is hard for the operator to decide whether or not the processing time is increased and when the dressing is to be carried out.
In consideration of the drawbacks of the conventional apparatus, it is a technological object of the invention to provide an eyeglass lens processing apparatus capable of easily managing a time that the dressing is to be carried out over an abrasive wheel.
In order to attain the object, the invention has the following structure.
(1) An eyeglass lens processing apparatus for processing a periphery of an eyeglass lens, comprising:
lens rotating means having rotating shafts for holding and rotating the lens;
an abrasive wheel;
abrasive wheel state detecting means for detecting a lowered processing performance (i.e., unsatisfactory) of the abrasive wheel; and
notifying means for notifying that dressing for the abrasive wheel is required based on a result of detection by the abrasive wheel state detecting means.
(2) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (1), further comprising:
processing state detecting means for detecting a state of processing for the lens; and
wherein the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel based on a result of comparison between the detected state of processing and a predetermined reference.
(3) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), wherein:
the processing state detecting means detects a processing time from a start of processing; and
the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel in case that the detected processing time exceeds a predetermined reference processing time.
(4) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), wherein:
the processing state detecting means detects an end of processing over the entire periphery of the lens or at a predetermined rotation angle of the lens; and
the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel in case that the end of processing is not detected within a predetermined reference processing time.
(5) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), wherein:
the processing state detecting means detects a number of lens rotation from a start of processing; and
the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel in case that the detected number of lens rotation exceeds a predetermined reference number of lens rotation.
(6) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), wherein:
the processing state detecting means detects an end of processing over the entire periphery of the lens or at a predetermined rotation angle of the lens; and
the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel in case that the end of processing is not detected within a predetermined reference number of lens rotation.
(7) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), wherein:
the processing state detecting means detects an amount of processing at a predetermined rotation angle of the lens; and
the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel in case that the amount of processing detected within a predetermined processing time or a predetermined number of lens rotation does not meet a predetermined reference amount of processing.
(8) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), further comprising:
changing means for changing a value of the reference.
(9) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (8), further comprising:
lens thickness input means for inputting a thickness of the lens; and
wherein the changing means changes the reference value based on the inputted lens thickness.
(10) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), further comprising:
lens material input means for inputting a material of the lens to be processed; and
wherein the processing state detecting means detects the state of processing for the lens only in case that a glass is inputted as the material.
(11) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (2), wherein:
the processing state detecting means detects the states of processing for a plurality of lenses; and
the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel based on a result of comparison between an average of the detected states of processing and the predetermined reference.
(12) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (1), further comprising:
processing control means for controlling processing for the lens based on a result of detection by the abrasive wheel state detecting means.
(13) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (12), further comprising:
processing state detecting means for detecting a state of processing for the lens;
wherein the abrasive wheel state detecting means detects the lowered processing performance of the abrasive wheel based on a result of comparison between the detected state of processing and predetermined first and second references; and
wherein the processing control means stops the processing for the lens based on a result of comparison by the abrasive wheel state detecting means using either one of the first and second references.
(14) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (1), wherein:
the abrasive wheel includes a rough processing abrasive wheel and finish processing abrasive wheel; and
the notifying means gives a notification regarding the rough processing abrasive wheel and a notification regarding the finish processing abrasive wheel independently of each other.
(15) An eyeglass lens processing apparatus for processing a periphery of an eyeglass lens, comprising:
an abrasive wheel;
counting means for counting a number of lenses which have been processed; and
notifying means for notifying that dressing for the abrasive wheel is required in case that the counted number of lenses exceed a predetermined reference number.
(16) The eyeglass lens processing apparatus according to (15), further comprising:
lens material input means for inputting a material of the lens to be processed; and
wherein the counting means only counts the number of the processed lenses, each being inputted as a glass by the input means.
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter contained in Japanese patent application No. 2001-433 (filed on Jan. 15, 2001), which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.